Crispy crackling and juicy pork cooked in an air fryer.

Pork cooked in an air fryer is easy to prepare and tastes great. The pork comes out tasting the most succulent and delicious, with an extra crispy crackle, when it is roasted in an air fryer, which is a great way to cook it because it is quick and easy to do.

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Pork cooked in an air fryer, with a crackling that is crisp.

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Once you learn how to make roast pork in your air fryer, you will be able to make it for a delicious dinner any night of the week. Traditionally, roast pork is served as part of a Sunday roast meal; however, once you learn how to make it in your air fryer, you will be able to make it for any meal of the week. In less than an hour, you can have a pork roast that is both flavorful and tender.

It is so simple and fast to prepare a pork roast in an air fryer; with minimal effort required for preparation, a short cooking time, and minimal effort required for cleanup, this is without a doubt my go-to method for roasting pork.

You should give it a shot if you like your pork to be tender on the inside while maintaining a crisp crackling on the outside.

Try making air fryer pork chops, air fryer crispy pork belly, or air fryer pork schnitzel for some other simple pork recipes that you can make in an air fryer.

Air frying is also an excellent method for roasting other types of meat; personally, I find that roast beef, beef tenderloin, and lamb are particularly delicious when prepared in an air fryer.

Scroll down to access the printable recipe card for this pork roast cooked in an air fryer, or continue reading for more information.

If you want really good crackling on your pork roast, try air frying it.

The recipe card that follows includes the proportions of each component listed below.

Pork roast

The versatility of this recipe makes it ideal for cooking any cut or joint of pork. Any small pork roast will do for this recipe. However, because of the short amount of time needed for roasting, a pork cut that is tender is going to be your best option.

In most cases, I use a boneless pork loin roast, which is one of the most traditional cuts for roasting. After being deboned and rolled, it produces a roast that is extraordinarily succulent and juicy.

Because the cooking times for pork tenderloin and pork filet are slightly different, I have provided a separate recipe for the latter on this page: air fryer pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for an extra tender pork roast.

Although a tougher cut such as pork shoulder (also known as pork butt or Boston butt) can be air fried, you may find that slow cooking is a better method for preparing it because it requires a longer period of time in the oven to become truly tender. These pork chops are just what you need to make pulled pork in a slow cooker.

Pick a roast that has a rind (also called a skin) if you want crackling on your pork.

When purchasing a pork roast, you should make sure to select one that is suitable for cooking in an air fryer. In most cases, I find that a pork roast weighing 2 pounds can be accommodated adequately in my air fryer and is adequate for feeding 4 people (with some leftovers for roast pork sandwiches the following day). )

Seasoning

When roasting pork, one of my favorite ways to season it is with nothing more than kosher salt. I believe that this allows the flavor of the meat to stand out much more.

Even if you choose to use some other flavorings, you shouldn't omit the salt because it helps to draw the moisture out of the skin as it cooks, which is another important step in the process of getting the crackling to become really crispy.

To season one pound of pork, you will need approximately one teaspoon of flaked or kosher salt.

When seasoning the roast, you can, if you so choose, also include some other spices in addition to the salt. Try flavors like:

• Fennel
• Smoked paprika
• Powdered garlic and/or onion for flavoring
• Black pepper
• Cajun spice blends.
• Italian herbs and spices

Oil

When I roast pork in my air fryer, I typically use olive oil that is on the lighter side; however, you can use any liquid cooking oil that you would typically use for roasting a piece of meat.

If you want to keep your air fryer from producing smoke while it's in use, you should use an oil that has a high smoke point. Corn oil and vegetable oil are two options worth considering.

Pork roast, kosher salt, and light olive oil are the ingredients in this dish.

The preparation of this dish is fairly easy and uncomplicated. On the other hand, there are a few essential procedures to follow in order to achieve a flawless roast pork in the air fryer.

First, get the pork roast ready to cook.

Dry the pork roast with paper towels. In the event that your pork roast has a rind or a layer of fat, you will need to use a sharp knife to cut through these components in order to make deep scores through the rind.

It is best to only cut through the rind or skin of the pork into the fat beneath it, rather than into the meat itself, because cutting into the meat can cause the pork roast to dry out during the cooking process. If you cut all the way through to the meat, the crackle may not get as crispy as it should, and your pork may become overcooked as a result of the roasting process.

The second step is to season the pork roast.

At this point, you are able to season the pork and oil it.

1. The pork should be liberally salted, and the salt should be rubbed into the meat in such a way that it penetrates the rind's slits.
2. Set aside for ten minutes You can skip this step if your pork roast doesn't have a rind or if you don't like crackling because the salt will draw moisture out of the pork skin, helping it to turn into perfect crunchy crackling.
3. After ten minutes, pat the pork roast dry with paper towels, then drizzle it with oil and rub it in so that it is evenly coated with salt and oil.

Step 3: Use an air fryer to roast the pork

Place the pork roast in the basket of the air fryer, and air fry it for approximately fifty minutes (or twenty-five minutes for every pound of meat; for more information on cook times, see the section that follows).  

When the allotted time for cooking is up, check to see that the pork is properly cooked by ensuring that the center of the thickest part has reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) and that the crackling is done to your satisfaction.

If the pork is done but the crackling needs additional time, remove the crackling from the pork very carefully and place it back into the air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes.

p s If you didn't notice the crackling in the previous photo, here's a better look at it in case you missed it...

Flawlessly crisp and golden with a crackling sound

Last but not least, take the pork roast out of the air fryer, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it sit for ten minutes before serving. Before you carve the meat, it is essential to do this so that the juices can be reabsorbed into the meat.

When you are carving the meat, if you discover that the crackling is too difficult to cut through easily, turn the roast over so that the crackling is facing down, and cut it with a knife that is very sharp.

Cooking times

The amount of time needed to cook the pork will change depending not only on the size and shape of the cut of pork you are using, but also on the effectiveness of the air fryer you are using.

I generally follow the rule of thumb that states that a pork roast should be air-fried for approximately 25 minutes per pound. So a 2lb pork roast needs 50 minutes

Please refer to the table that follows for an estimate of the amount of time needed to air fry pork roasts of varying sizes:

Dimensions of the pork roast Approx timing for cooking in an air fryer 1 lb / 450g 25 minutes 1.5 lb / 700g 38 minutes 2 lb / 900g 50 minutes 2.5 lb / 1 2kg 1 hr 5 minutes 3 lb / 1 4kg 1 hr 15 minutes Times that should roughly be expected for roasting pork in an air fryer

The cooking times listed in the recipe card below are accurate for the Philips Airfryer that I use. If you have a more powerful brand of air fryer, such as a Nuwave or a Ninja Foodi, then you can anticipate that the cooking times will be comparable.

Having said that, using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your pork roast is the one and only way to have absolute certainty that it has been cooked properly. When cooking pork for roasting, the internal temperature should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius) in the thickest part.

Make use of the times listed in the table above as a guide, but make sure to check the temperature with a thermometer at all times.

The Meater* is, in my experience, the most accurate meat thermometer that can be used in conjunction with an air fryer. This is a completely cordless meat thermometer that communicates with your smartphone via an app. It functions similarly to a skewer in that it is inserted into the meat, and it enables you to check the temperature without having to open the air fryer. Additionally, it will notify you when the meat has reached the ideal level of doneness.

However, any thermometer that reads meat instantly should be able to do the job, and they are significantly less expensive.

The process of achieving a crispy crackling texture

Cooking crackling on roast pork in the air fryer is a time-saving and simple method.

The crackling on pork can be difficult to get just right. The level of crispiness of crackling is determined by the amount of moisture that is present in the pork skin and by removing as much of this moisture as is possible during the cooking process.

Even though air-frying is a good place to begin, there are a few more steps you can take to get it as crispy as humanly possible.

1. Take care not to let the rind get too wet. Dry the skin thoroughly before cooking it, and do this again after scoring the rind. Because the skin won't begin to crackle until after all of the moisture has evaporated, beginning with dry skin is essential for achieving optimal crackling results.
2. Make slits in the rind. It is of the utmost importance that during this stage you only score the skin, going all the way through to the fat but stopping short of the meat.
3. Add salt and rub in Spend the time necessary to thoroughly work the salt into the scores, and check to see that the salt has been incorporated. After that, put it to the side for ten minutes. The pork skin will lose more moisture as a result of the salt's drying effect. When the ten minutes are up, remove any remaining moisture from the mixture using paper towels.
4. At last, add oil, and work it in thoroughly. This not only makes the skin more crispy, but it also causes the salt and fat underneath the rind to react, which causes the skin to puff up and become extremely crispy.

These steps should be sufficient to ensure that your crackling is crispy and perfect every time, but if all else fails, you can also carefully remove the crackling once the pork has finished cooking. This should be done immediately after the pork has finished cooking. Afterward, while the pork roast is resting, use the air fryer to give it a crispy exterior for five to ten minutes.

Ideas for Service

The traditional roast meal that I prepare for my guests consists of roasted pork accompanied by a variety of vegetable side dishes and gravy. Try this recipe for making a rich brown gravy from stock cubes for a gravy preparation that is both simple and quick to make.

You are able to roast vegetables alongside the pork in the air fryer while the pork is roasting; however, I would suggest only fully cooking the vegetables to a certain point before roasting the pork, and then finishing the roasting of the vegetables while the pork is resting. This is due to the fact that roasting vegetables or potatoes in the air fryer alongside the pork can result in an excessive amount of moisture being produced in the cooking environment, which can prevent the crackling from becoming crisp.

Try your hand at some of these straightforward ideas:

In addition, I think roast pork goes well with vegetables that have been steamed, and I've found that the microwave is the most efficient cooking method for doing so. While the pork is roasting, you can get the vegetables ready. While the roast pork is resting, get the steaming going on the vegetables. Vegetables that have been steamed in a microwave are one option among many.

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Use any leftover pork roast that has been stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and consume it within three days.

The air fryer is a convenient place to reheat the pork roast. The amount of time that must be spent will be determined by the size of the roast that was left over:

• Air fry the slices for two to three minutes until they are heated all the way through.
• Start with three to four minutes for a larger piece, and air fry it for additional time if necessary, until it is completely heated through.

To view the recipe card for this air fryer roast pork, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Pork loin prepared in an air fryer and roasted